Help me decide between these two places for a trip in February with my 12-year-old daughter. We’ve loved places like Montage Maui, Gleneagles in Scotland, and Rosewood Mayakoba. We really enjoy animal and wildlife experiences, as well as some time at the beach and pool. I’m hoping to find a resort that offers a variety of unique experiences and up-close animal encounters. Good service and easy access to the beach and pool are also important to us. I know I need to book soon since February is coming up, so I’d appreciate any thoughts!
If you were my client, I’d say Papagayo. I’ve had clients go there and they’ve all raved about it. It’s likely going to be one of our trips next year. You can do things like a monkey walk, ropes course, or surf lessons, so if she’s active, there’s plenty to keep her busy. Plus, there are other activities like pottery painting. Make sure to book through an FS preferred agent for extra perks. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask, as I know their sales team well.
Thank you so much! She’s less into active activities but really enjoys animal encounters, so we focus on that aspect for our trips.
You’ll see some animals there, but not as many as in Arenal.
We visited Arenal and Manuel Antonio four years ago and didn’t enjoy the long drives. I was hoping to find a great place where we can stay put. I’m also interested in the bioluminescence offered at Papagayo.
Then I’d definitely recommend FS Papagayo so you can stay in one spot!
Sounds great, thank you! Do you have any other resorts you’d recommend for consideration?
I’d go for FS Hualalai. If you’re looking at Costa Rica, I’d also consider the Andaz. I’ve heard great feedback from clients about the service and activities there.
Honestly, I only started thinking about Costa Rica because I saw FS offers a bioluminescence tour. I really want to see things like the northern lights, fireflies, and bioluminescence in luxury settings. It seems like a shorter flight than going to places like Turks and Caicos. But it sounds like the search continues. Any other suggestions for February trips from SFO that involve high animal interactions?
Have you thought about Panama or Puerto Rico? Panama has lots of animal encounters, and you could spend a few days in Panama City, then head to Bocas del Toro or Isla Palenque for beach and jungle experiences. Puerto Rico is great in February, too, and also has bioluminescence. It’s easy to travel across the island, so you could make day trips or stay in one place and explore more areas for a night or two.
I had The Ritz-Carlton Reserve on my list for that reason, but I heard the service dropped off. Has it improved? I’ve never considered Panama before – is it as safe as Costa Rica? I don’t want anything too adventurous since I’ll be traveling without my husband, but I’d love to hear more!
I think FS Punta Mita might be a better fit for what you’re looking for—great service, easy access to the beach and pool, and they offer wildlife encounters, especially with whales in February.
If you were our client, we’d recommend FS Papagayo. We’ve had very active families go there, and they’ve all loved it. Just had one client come back last week and another one there this week. The resort offers lots of free activities, and as our client, you’d get VIP treatment.
While Costa Rica is beautiful and has many activities, we were very disappointed with our stay at the FS there in December. There was a large corporate group that took over the hotel, and we found the service lacking. The power went out in our room multiple times, and the steak at the restaurant was so tough we couldn’t eat it. Also, we had to pay extra for chairs at the adult pool on top of the $2,000 per night we were paying.
That’s so disappointing. I do prefer a more laid-back vibe and high service. It doesn’t feel special when you can’t get a lounger in the shade by the pool.
We had amazing animal experiences at Tortuga Lodge in Costa Rica. We’ve been to the Four Seasons there too and wouldn’t recommend it. If you’re choosing between Papagayo and Hualalai, I’d go with Hualalai. But if animals and Costa Rica are your focus, check out Tortuga Lodge or the Bëna lodges. Also, Nayara Tented Camp in Arenal is incredible.
Very helpful perspective. I thought Tortuga Lodge would only be good during turtle season? The reviews for FS Hawaii seem mixed, so I wasn’t sure if we should spend a whole week there or if it would be better for just a long weekend. What do you think?
For nature and animal encounters, definitely Papagayo! If you book through a travel agent, they’re offering a 4th night free and double upgrade promo until December (I can check if it’s extended). You could also combine it with a stay at Rio Perdido or Auberge for more wildlife experiences.
I’m a bit late to respond, but we’ve been to both. Hualalai is very nice, and the lagoon snorkeling experience was great for our young kids. The service, pools, activities, and food were all excellent, though the vibe was a little more formal, and the beach is just okay. The only animal encounters we had were in the lagoon.
FS Costa Rica has great pools, a fun kids’ club, and a more relaxed vibe. The two beaches are great for swimming. The downside is that it’s quite isolated. We did see some monkeys, but not as many as I expected. We thought it was fine, but we had just come from Nayara Tented Camp, which was an amazing experience. FS was a little underwhelming after that. If you can swing it, I recommend combining a stay at Nayara with a few nights at FS or trying the new Waldorf Astoria.